BUTLER TWP — Four candidates vying for one seat on the Butler County Court of Common Pleas made their appeals to voters Thursday night at the 2019 Candidates Forum hosted by Butler County Community College.

Co-sponsored by the Butler County Chamber of Chamber and the Butler Eagle, the event drew a large crowd eager to learn more about the candidates, their backgrounds and their reasons for running. Candidates Matt Fischer, William “Wink” Robinson Jr., Nicole Thurner, and Jennifer Gilliland Vanasdale are all making a bid for the seat vacated last fall by Judge Marilyn Horan when she was appointed to the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh.

All four emphasized they are conducting independently financed campaigns.

Each spoke candidly about a wide array of topics, including why they want to serve on the bench, their decision-making style, their community involvement, and their mentors. The candidates also discussed the current state of the Court of Common Pleas and how they would improve it if elected.

Read the rest of the story in Friday's print edition of the Eagle or subscribe online.

Read the rest of the story in Friday's print edition of the Eagle or subscribe online.